NationStates Jolt Archive

Elections were held today to elect MPs in the formerly safe Labour seats of Ealing Southall and Sedgefield (Tony Blairs old seat).

For non Brits out there, a little background. Both seats have previously been solid Labour seats. Sedgefield has an ex-mining community and is located in the North East of England. Ealing Southall is a depressed area in West London with an overwhemingly Asian immigrant population, mostly sikh but with a large muslim minority. All three main parties (Labour, Conservative and Liberal Democrat) are contesting both seats as are the Green Party and the Monstor Raving Looney Party (Yay!). Both seats have a number of Independent candidates, Sedgefield has a BNP (far right) candidate and Ealing Southall has a Respect (far left) candidate.

Thoughts? Comments?

are we going have a period of more than 2 parties for a change?

of course all this means is there is more competition now so more tax cuts will be offered which will hopefully get the same result as the conservatives attempts

Well I live in the Ealing constituency.

I hate this stupid by-election, all these idoit party people keep dumping their leaflets through my letterbox, everytime I get home the floor is flooded with about 15 different pamphlets, posters and newsletters from all the parties.

I'm not voting though as I hate Labour, hate the Green Party even more, don't like the Conservatives under Cameron and don't find the Lib Dems to be up to the job either. The rest are far-right or far-left loonies.

Elections are pointless and I don't waste my time with politics, life is too short.

What bliss. Well, given my political inclinations it should be clear none of the mainstream parties have my support. I do prefer the Lib-Dems over both the Tories and Labour though.

Sedgefield result

Labour - 44.8%
Liberal democrat - 19.9%
Conservative - 14.6%
BNP - 8.9%
Independent - 6.7%
UKIP - 1.9%
Green - 1.2%

are we going have a period of more than 2 parties for a change?

of course all this means is there is more competition now so more tax cuts will be offered which will hopefully get the same result as the conservatives attempts

Are the Tories actually promising tax cuts? As far as I remember they've avoided having any actual policy commitments, especially regarding taxes.

Are the Tories actually promising tax cuts? As far as I remember they've avoided having any actual policy commitments, especially regarding taxes.

Of course they're not promising them; such a policy would resemble conservatism, which is, after all, a naughty word for David Cameron. I believe his answer to the question of tax-cuts, or lack therof, amounted to "we'll wait and see, but be terribly centrist about it".


The only party worth voting for is UKIP; nobody else on the right is either sane, or actually right wing.

Of course they're not promising them; such a policy would resemble conservatism, which is, after all, a naughty word for David Cameron. I believe his answer to the question of tax-cuts, or lack therof, amounted to "we'll wait and see, but be terribly centrist about it".


Replace the words above "conservatism" with socialism, and David Cameron with Gordon Brown and you have the exact same situation with the Labour Party.

Thus right leaning people such as yourself find themselves unable to support a mainstream party, and left leaning people such as myself find myself in the same boat.

And they wonder why apathy is so widespread.

Monster Raving Looney Party? :p

Replace the words above "conservatism" with socialism, and David Cameron with Gordon Brown and you have the exact same situation with the Labour Party.

Thus right leaning people such as yourself find themselves unable to support a mainstream party, and left leaning people such as myself find myself in the same boat.

And they wonder why apathy is so widespread.


Lib Dems ftw:)

The only party worth voting for is UKIP; nobody else on the right is either sane, or actually right wing.
Good point. I constantly let them slip out of mind, though I do find them semi-agreeable. :D

Monster Raving Looney Party? :p

http://www.omrlp.com/ :p

Ealing Southall result

Labour - 41.4%
Liberal Democrat - 27.7%
Conservative - 22.5%
Green - 3.1%
Respect - 1.6%

Are the Tories actually promising tax cuts? As far as I remember they've avoided having any actual policy commitments, especially regarding taxes.

they did last election (2004-ish) with that bald immigrant guy and the massive cuts they said they could pull off (they also tried to pull BNP trick galore)

The only party worth voting for is UKIP; nobody else on the right is either sane, or actually right wing.

they have the oddest propaganda:

http://www.geocities.com/byelections99/kensington99/hocken993a.jpg

why is he naked? why is he grinning at a 9 year old me? and why do they have the same logo as poundstretcher :confused:

I voted in my local elections a few months ago. Lib dems got a clear majority (cambridge) and are who I voted for. Although they are far too centrist for my liking, they have a better chance than the Greens ever will, and I don't support some of the Greens' policies.

Well I live in the Ealing constituency.

I hate this stupid by-election, all these idoit party people keep dumping their leaflets through my letterbox, everytime I get home the floor is flooded with about 15 different pamphlets, posters and newsletters from all the parties.

I'm not voting though as I hate Labour, hate the Green Party even more, don't like the Conservatives under Cameron and don't find the Lib Dems to be up to the job either. The rest are far-right or far-left loonies.

Elections are pointless and I don't waste my time with politics, life is too short.

Including the greens? Does anybody else find that ironic? I meant with the pamphlets.